You Can't Change Me
by aaronlisa
Summary: LA really isn't that big of a place and Angel finds Faith where she least expects to be found. Sequel to "Call Me Firecracker."


Disclaimer: _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ and _Angel_ belong to Joss Whedon and company.

Notes: Set during ATS Season One, follows "Call Me Firecracker."

Something akin to shame colours her skin a red colour. There's something to be said about the one time that she ends up agreeing to work the night shift, only to have Angel to stroll into the club like he owns the damn place.

The only problem is that Faith doesn't really do shame (she doesn't have the time or the energy for it). And there's nothing really to be said to Angel. He was just another person from Sunnydale too wrapped up in Buffy's life to spare her a second glance. (It always pissed Faith off that it was okay for Buffy to get all chummy with a vamp, even if he did have a soul, while no one took the time to ask Faith if she was eating.)

She does her best to ignore him while she works the stage. Faith is professional when it comes to her job, if nothing else. She takes her clothes off like it doesn't mean a thing to her, like it doesn't matter that Buffy's boy toy is watching her with an expression that she can't place. It _doesn't_ matter at all.

When she's done, she gathers up the skimpy clothes she took off and heads backstage. She has two more performances to get through. And there's no way in hell she'll acknowledge that Angel is in town (no doubt Buffy's around too.)

* * *

Faith had ignored the fact that Angel had remained for her performances. It was easy enough to do since he stayed at the back of the club, partially hidden in the dark, smoky shadows. The only reason why she'd known he'd stayed was the fact that she's a Slayer. Since he'd left her alone, she'd figured she'd return the favour.

Of course, Angel being Angel, he's waiting for her in the alley where the girls exit after their shifts. Faith sighs as she pushes some of her hair off of her face. Typical, one of the white hats from Sunnydale just can't leave well enough alone. She leans against the wall opposite of him, her arms folded across her chest.

"What do you want?" Faith asks.

She prides herself on the fact that her voice is neither cold nor warm. It's just indifferent. She could be asking him for the time of day.

"Can't say I'm surprised to find you here," Angel blandly replies back.

His comment makes her want to hit him. Sure, all of the goodie two shoes from Sunnydale had expected Faith to wind up taking her clothes off for a living. Like they even cared. Faith is well aware of what they thought of her since their snide little comments about how skanky she was were never quiet enough.

"So what? It's a job," Faith says. "Beats begging and selling my body to the highest bidder every night."

"I didn't mean _here_ ," Angel says. "I meant LA."

Faith rolls her eyes at his clumsy clarification. "Whatever, Angel. Is there a point to this?"

"I'm running a business, a help the helpless kind of business, I could use a Slayer on the team," Angel says.

"Is this _your_ way of saving of me?" Faith angrily asks. "Cause if it is, I don't need it."

"Things have changed since you hightailed it out of Sunnydale Faith, I don't care if you want to take your clothes off or not. That's not my business."

"Then why are you here?" Faith demands.

She can't believe that he's not here to try to talk her into stopping stripping. Angel smirks at her as he pulls out a business card.

"I've heard tell of a Slayer being in town, put two and two together and found you," Angel says. "Like I said, I could use a Slayer on the team."

Faith looks at the card and reads _Angel Investigations._ She lets go of it and lets it fall to the dirty ground.

"I could have used some help back in Sunnydale, I don't need you or anyone else to help me now," Faith says. "And I certainly don't feel the need to be a team player."

"If you change your mind, there's always a place for you, " Angel says.

She watches as he turns away from her and walks out of the alley. Faith can't really explain how she's feeling. She'd been sure that Angel had been there to make her stop but so far he's done everything but what she had expected from him.

A week passes and then another one, Angel (and whoever else is working for him) stay as far away as possible from her. It's not until she's buying groceries one day that she runs into Cordelia Chase. Faith is almost tempted to drop her basket to the floor and take off. If it was anywhere else, she'd think it was a set up but there's a shock on the former cheerleader's face that can't be faked. (Especially not by Cordelia Chase.)

"Faith," Cordelia says by way of greeting. "Angel had mentioned you were in town."

"Yeah so?" Faith replies.

She's not really in the mood for small talk. Cordelia shrugs casually.

"I see some things haven't changed," Cordelia says.

"Look what do you want?"

"Same thing as you do, apparently, some groceries," Cordelia calmly replies. "I live about two blocks away from this store."

"Yeah right," Faith says. She can't believe that the richest bitch from Sunnydale is slumming it.

"Whether you believe it or not, it's the truth."

"Like your daddy would let you live here," Faith taunts the other woman.

Something in Cordelia's face closes off and Faith realizes that she'd pushed too hard and too fast.

"Look here, you ran away, there's lots of things you don't know. So why don't you just shut your mouth and mind your own business," Cordelia says. "I'm glad that you won't come to work for Angel, you wouldn't fit the team,"

Cordelia storms away, leaving Faith with more questions than answers.

Since she doesn't have a Watcher anymore, Faith has to do her own research. Thankfully the public library she uses has access to newspapers from Sunnydale. The only problem? The newspapers from Sunnydale don't really give much information about anything, although it's not as if Faith's wanting to know everything about Sunnydale or it's inhabitants (former or otherwise). Instead she tells herself if she's considering (and that's a big _if_ ) taking Angel up on his gig, she should have some basic facts.

It wouldn't hurt to know why Cordelia's living in an area that isn't exactly high end and maybe if Buffy left Sunnydale (or if the picture perfect blonde is still alive.) She doesn't really feel like sticking her foot in her mouth again _if_ she decides to check out Angel Investigations.

All she can find in the end is an obit for the Mayor who was killed in some really bizarre circumstances (Faith wonders what type of monster he was) and a tiny article buried on the back pages about how the Chase family had fallen from disgrace. If she hadn't been looking for it, she'd never have found it.

She's unable to find out anything about Angel Investigations in the local papers. But she figures it's legit enough if Angel and Cordelia have both mentioned it to her.

Indecisiveness strikes once she's done her investigation. Part of her wants to check out Angel's new gig. Yet another part of her is okay with being the lone wolf. Not depending on others is something she's used to. Depending on others is kind of scary and the last time she did, was back in Sunnydale and that didn't turn out too well for her. (Faith refuses to think about Boston and Diana Dormer and all of the horrible little things that make up her past.)

It seems to her that if she makes her way to Angel's office, she'll start depending on him and the others that he has working for him. And Faith's pretty sure that only ruin lies that way.

So she does what she does best: she goes through the motions. Every day, she wakes up, makes her way to the club, takes her clothes off and then when she's done her shift, she goes back home and sleeps until it's time to patrol. Every day is exactly the same and there's a sense of safety in that.

It's Angel who makes the next move and perhaps that's for the best since Faith doesn't really want to get involved unless she knows that she's wanted. He arrives at her club one rainy day. He meets her again in the alley and Faith finds herself worrying if he's going to burst into ash, even though the day is darker than a normal LA day.

"Well are you in or out?" Angel asks.

There's a tiredness to his voice and Faith can't really find it in herself to say now.

"I won't quit working here," Faith tells him.

Angel shrugs at her. "Fine whatever, might be for the best since we really don't get paid a lot."

"Fine, I guess I am in."

((END))

 **END NOTE:** I am not sure if I am going to continue in this universe or not.


End file.
